<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="http://9news.com.au/prince-andrew" rel="" target="" title="Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor"><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor</span></a><span> may be in police custody but he remains the eighth person in line to the </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/uk" rel="" target="" title="British"><span>British</span></a><span> </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/royal-family" rel="" target="" title="throne"><span>throne</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Before the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-police-arrive-at-home-amid-jeffrey-epstein-investigation/8b871351-30b7-4202-99e6-04169219b5d6" rel="" target="" title="former prince's birthday arrest yesterday"><span>former prince's birthday arrest yesterday</span></a><span>, momentum had been growing in some quarters to follow the stripping of the 66-year-old's titles with his removal from the line of succession.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But even if that push reaches a tipping point, the ex-duke's removal would be a complicated process and </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/australia" rel="" target="" title="Australia"><span>Australia</span></a><span>, for which the reigning monarch is head of state, would play a critical role.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-live-updates-latest-news-headlines/9fe3f636-cf46-4094-97aa-04f98f733ac2" rel="" target="" title="Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested"><strong><span>Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the meantime, Mountbatten-Windsor, who has not been charged with any offence and has denied any wrongdoing regarding his links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, remains in line for the throne.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He could technically even serve as regent for Prince George, who is third in line, if the King and Prince William were both incapacitated.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Labour MP for York Central Rachael Maskell is one of the most prominent voices to call for the King's brother to be removed from the line of succession and his role as a counsellor of state.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbattenwindsor-arrested-former-prince-andrew-is-eighth-in-line-to-the-throne-can-he-be-removed/88c5ea35-e056-4c90-89eb-0cfcff9fe124" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"All of these titles and positions need to be addressed, so we are just left with Andrew the citizen, and a citizen that is fully accountable," she said earlier this week, before the arrest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-what-happens-next-explained/9ae0c863-69ce-49c6-aa94-700e060cc516" rel="" target="" title="What happens next after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested"><strong><span>What happens next after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>How to remove a royal? It's 'complicated'</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>University College London professor of government and the constitution Robert Hazell said removing Andrew would be "really complicated".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It will require legislation, not merely by the British parliament of Westminster, but the other 14 countries around the world, where King Charles is currently their head of state," he told the BBC in the hours after the arrest.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Countries known as the realms, countries like Australia, Canada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, half a dozen islands in the Caribbean."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-king-charles-iii-reacts/0717d837-8616-4e0d-8e8c-f185dc1c8a77" rel="" target="" title="King Charles reacts to brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest"><strong><span>King Charles reacts to brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said the last time the Law of Succession was changed, to make it gender neutral, took two years "to get everyone's ducks in a row".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I really don't think either the British government or the governments of those other 14 countries want to spend two years trying to do that," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It would be a complete waste of everyone's time."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Could Mountbatten-Windsor serve as regent?</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In November, UCL said if the worst were to happen to King Charles and then Prince William, Prince Harry would be next in line to be named as regent but only if he returned to the UK.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Were he to refuse, Mountbatten-Windsor would be next in line, although he was "unlikely to be considered suitable following his fall from grace".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The experts' FAQ noted the government was likely keen to avoid legislation to remove the former prince, in favour of other legislative priorities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/andrew-mountbattenwindsor-arrested-former-prince-went-from-helicopter-pilot-to-trade-envoy-to-royal-pariah/0cdc2b58-f42d-4c9c-9dbf-071825b3cb5f" rel="" target="" title="How Andrew went from helicopter pilot to trade envoy to royal pariah"><strong><span>How Andrew went from helicopter pilot to trade envoy to royal pariah</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"A person can only be removed as a counsellor of state by legislation," it said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Because seven people can now be called upon to act as counsellors of state, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is very unlikely to be called upon again."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A counsellor of state can be called on to represent the monarch if they are temporarily incapacitated but don't need to be replaced by a regent.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Palace sources told </span><a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/andrew-king-charles-sandringham-q3dh0ld0z"><span>The Times</span></a><span> earlier this month there were no plans to remove him as a counsellor of state as he was unlikely to be called upon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h2><span></span><strong><span>What does it mean for the royal family?</span></strong></h2></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Commentators were divided on what impact the arrest would have on the royal family.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hazell said he thought people could "distinguish between the individual and the institution", a line echoed by Charles' biographer and friend Jonathan Dimbleby.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If you think of the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, the Duke of Edinburgh, they are all doing their duties," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They will individually have feelings about this. I do not see that because one member of the royal family has been arrested … that that brings the institution in this respect. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"On the contrary, it demonstrates that the institution is functioning."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic, said Dimbleby's comments were "absurd" and called on William and Charles to face the media for questioning.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a very, very serious crisis, the worst serious crisis that has hit the monarchy in living memory, in the democratic era," he told the BBC.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And you know, we have an institution that is already losing support quite rapidly. We have an institution that most people under the age of 50 are not that bothered about, and now they are exposed to quite serious accusations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mountbatten-Windsor had been reported to police by Republic following the release of more than 3 million pages of documents relating to Epstein, who was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Those files suggested Mountbatten-Windsor had in 2010 forwarded to Epstein reports about Vietnam, Singapore and other places he had visited on official trips.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The former prince has not responded to the release of the files but has always denied any wrongdoing linked to Epstein.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The arrest follows a ratcheting up of allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor in the wake of the release of the US Justice Department's document dump.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many of the recent allegations centred on claims of sexual impropriety, including that alleged by Australian-based Virginia Giuffre, but he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and was yet to be charged.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>